Appeal to Cruise Lines: Banish Belize Human Trafficking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 20, 2010 --

“Belize is a superhighway for human trafficking,” said Trill. “Cruise lines have moral responsibility to help stop the transit of thousands of human trafficking victims through Belize.”

The Appeal sought assistance from Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Lines in particular. These two companies bring a combined 700,000 tourists to Belize annually.

In its Appeal, ORT recommends cruise lines bringing tourists to Belize consider the following specific measures:

Self policing – ensure cruise ship staff are aware of areas where human trafficking victims are concentrated; ensure that they do not direct passengers to resorts areas or specific bars where human trafficking victims are forced into prostitution; ensure they do not act as conduits for sex tourism, connecting individual passengers and human trafficking victims

Educating passengers – provide information to passengers about areas with high concentrations of human trafficking victims; advise passengers to avoid known towns and resorts with a high representation of human trafficking bars.

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye - remove San Pedro, Ambergris Caye from all cruise line itineraries; advise passengers not to visit San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, a hub for human trafficking

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is heavily populated with ficha bars specializing in exploiting women victims of human trafficking. The Town of San Pedro, population 12,000, counts 90 human trafficking bars featuring forced prostitution of human trafficking victims

ORT previously extended an invitation to cruise lines to join them in persuading Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow to take action against human trafficking in his country. The invitation remains open.

ORT promotes traveling for a better world.

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